Contributing Hours Across our Region through our Generous Employees

Tampa Bay Sports & Entertainment launched an employee volunteer program during the summer of 2011 entitled C.H.A.R.G.E.- Contributing Hours Across our Region through our Generous Employees - as an instrumental way for staff members from the Tampa Bay Lightning, Tampa Bay Storm & Tampa Bay Times Forum to give back to the Tampa Bay community.

The goal of the C.H.A.R.G.E. program is simple: as an organization, Tampa Bay Sports & Entertainment aims to lead by example and to inspire others. Each month the organization sponsors a minimum of one volunteer event in the community to demonstrate the importance of volunteer service. TBSE is committed to CHARGE throughout the Bay Area, volunteering a minimum of 4,000 hours annually at various non-profits. This past fiscal year, over 4,400 volunteer hours were recorded and nearly 50 charitable organizations were touched through the C.H.A.R.G.E. program.

Executive Leadership in the Community

The executive and leadership teams of TBSE lend their time and talents to a number of non-profits throughout the community at different events and causes. Events ranged from The American Cancer Society’s 2012 Cattle Baron’s Ball which Jeff and Penny Vinik chaired, to the F.A.R.A Energy Ball benefitting Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Alliance and USF Ataxia Research Center which was hosted by Tod and Tara Leiweke, to Steve Yzerman chairing the 2012 American Heart Association’s Heart Walk.

Vinik and Leiweke have also spoken at numerous events, including the Metropolitan Ministries Business Breakfast and BridgeBuilders Event. Leadership is also honored to serve on the Board of Directors of local non-profit organizations such as Special Olympics, the Lowry Park Zoo, Tampa Bay Sports Commission, Tampa Bay History Center, WEDU, Make-A-Wish, the United Way, the Pediatric Cancer Foundation, and the Florida Sports Foundation.